Songs of Yesterday [Box set, Import, Original recording remastered]

Free | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set, Import, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Island UK
• ASIN: B00004SRKB
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,351 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Over The Green Hills

2. Walk In My Shadow

3. Wild Indian Woman

4. Guy Stevens Blues

5. Visions Of Hell

6. I'm A Mover

7. Moonshine

8. Woman By The Sea

9. Free Me

10. Long Tall Sally

11. Broad Daylight

12. The Worm

13. Trouble On Double Time

14. Spring Dawn

15. I'll Be Creepin'

16. Sugar For Mr Morrison

17. Songs Of Yesterday

18. Woman

19. Mourning Sad Morning

20. Fire And Water

See all 80 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

UK box on Island Records for blues rock act featuringPaul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff, Simon Kirke & Andy Fraser & best known for their perennial 'All Right Now'. 80 remastered tracks on 5 CDs including alternate takes and mixes, singles masters, stereo mixes, unreleased recordings, live recordings not used for the album 'Free Live', associated recordings from Paul Rodgers & The Maytals, Peace, Sharks, Kossoff/Kirke/Tetsu/Rabbit, John Martyn and rabbit (John Bundrick). 60 page color booklet. 2000 release. 3 sided digipak in a slipcase which measures 10 x 6 x 1 inches approx..

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manna For Fans Of Free, May 13, 2001

By 

J. E FELL "boogaloojef" (Carterville, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Songs of Yesterday (Audio CD)

This is an imported 5 cd anthology which summarizes the career of the British band Free. The first three discs contain remastered versions (excellent sound), alternate takes, non-lp tracks and unissued tracks from their career. The fourth disc contains alternate versions and unissued tracks from their live album. The last disc summarizes the solo career of the members of the band. The booklet is excellent with many pictures, chart information and other useful information about the band. Free was unjustly overshadowed by bluesy vocalist Paul Rodgers' and drummer Simon Kirke's later band Bad Company. I find this band much more interesting. While the material is less commercial than their later work with Bad Company, this material is delivered with more feeling. The late guitarist Paul Kossoff with his impressive blues laden vibrato attack was highly influential. Ex-John Mayall bass player Andy Fraser was an excellent musician, witness "Mr. Big" for an example. This song along with the anthem "All Right Now" and "Wishing Well" are probably the band's most requested songs. Some of my favorites include "I'll Be Creepin'", "Broad Daylight", "The Stealer", and "Little Bit Of Love" among many others. Free was reportedly a big influence on Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band pretty much burned out with the departures of Paul Kossoff and Rodgers' song writing partner Andy Fraser. One album was released after they departed. The band played such festivals as the Isle Of Wight during their halcyon days. It may be useful to compare this set with the domestic 2 cd anthology "Molten Gold". While this set is much more comprehensive "Molten Gold" does contain some tracks which are not on the "Songs Of Yesterday" box set. Excellent songs such as a cover of Albert King's "The Hunter", the great instrumental "Mouthful Of Grass" and "Catch A Train" among others are included on the "Molten Gold" anthology but not the "Songs Of Yesterday" anthology. Some of the cuts on the "Songs Of Yesterday" box set appear only in alternate versions while the original versions appear on the 2 cd "Molten Gold". However, this comparison aside I recommend the "Songs Of Yesterday" box set to long time fans of the band like myself or novices alike. The price is worth every penny for the rare tracks and alternate takes as well as the remastering and booklet. If you are on a limited budget as least invest in the "Molten Gold" 2 disc set you will be converted.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A find for devoted Free fans, February 3, 2004

By 

Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs of Yesterday (Audio CD)

This lavish five-disc box set is mainly for serious Free fans. It does include most of the band's best known songs, but only a few of them are in their original album version.
Listeners who are less than totally devoted to Free will find that "Songs Of Yesterday" is sort of an alternate version of the band's legacy, and those fans would be better off with "Molten Gold - The Free Anthology". But those who already own Free's original albums will find this box set to be a treasure trove.

Most of these 80 tracks are alternate takes, remixes, or live recordings which weren't used on "Free Live", offering a wealth of interesting material as well as a fresh look at Free's music. A very nice purchase for diehard Free fans, but not quite right for most other listeners, since it doesn't work as a proper hits collection (and the price is _very_ steep for an 80-song set).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Forget Led Zep... Free "Really" Had It All!, May 18, 2001

By 

Derek G (Wishaw, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs of Yesterday (Audio CD)

Many reviewers have said that Led Zeppelin had it all and, to a certain extent, they did. But for me, Free were the band that was masterful in every tempo of song - whether it be the straight blues rocker or the ballad. Not that this review is about comparing Led Zeppelin and Free, but even though Robert Plant was competent at ballads, he could never touch you the way Paul Rodgers did.

My inroduction to Free occurred one night I was going through my record colection and, quite bizzarely, one of my dad's tapes was in my collection. This album happened to be "The Free Story". Almost immediately, I was hooked and subsequently I now own seveal Free albums, including this one. Cd's 1-3 chronicle a journey through all six Free studio albums with alternate takes, alternate mixes, singles masters, stereo mixes and unreleased recordings. Cd 4 is unreleased live recordings from shows they had done in Sunderland and Croydon in England. This, for me, is the highlight of the box set as it demonstrates the unequivocal talent of Free; one can almost feel how much of a tight unit they were on this disc. While many of Free's contemporaries ( Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath ) bludgeoned their audiences with sheer volume, Free mesmerised their audience by laying back; even their heavier songs groove more than they rock. Not one bad song on offer on this disc, my personal favourites are : "Ride On A Pony"; "Be My Friend" ( beautiful singing ); "I'll Be Creepin'" ( unstoppably groovy ); "Free Me" ( about 3 minutes into this song you'll hear what has to be the most powerful rock singing ever - a volcano of raw emotion ); "All Right Now" ( of course! ); "Crossroads". This is unquestionably the best live cd you are likely to hear in a long time. ( Incidentally, the sound is immaculate as is the whole of the box set, owing to state-of-the-art technology. )Cd 5 is various recordings that the individual members of Free created during the band's couple of break-ups which occured during 1971 and 72. During these break-ups Paul Rodgers formed "Peace"; Simon Kirke and Paul Kossof formed "KKTR"; Andy Fraser formed "Toby". I have to say although this is competent enough, it is the weakest of all the 5 discs - the musicianship and emotional zest of the Free ensemble is absent and you feel that they needed each other, as they complemented each other pefectly.

Overall, this is an exciting journey through the Free legacy - refreshing with a phenomenal sound on each disc. It's pristinely packaged and the 60 page colour booklet is intelligently compiled. Free were the most charismatic, talented band to grace the planet... ever!!